Advertising appliance



Sept. 21,- 1937. cQ w. ARMSTRONG 2,093,505 I ADVERTISING APPLIANCE j Filed March 16, 1956 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 I IIIIIIIII c. w. ARMSTRQNG ADVERTISING APPLIANCE Sept. 21', 1937.

Filed March 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relatesto improvements in advertising or display appliances.

It is well recognized that one factor affecting the value of an advertising appliance is its 5 ability to attract the attention of the public and the primary object of the invention is to provide an advertising device which will not only be at: tractive because of its novel appearance, but will also possess features which will be certain to attract the attention of persons passing a show window or other point where the appliance is on display. More specifically, the invention contemplates an advertising appliance in which the elements of light, color and motion are embodied, these being three of the most important characteristics of an efficient advertising appliance.

Another object is to provide an appliance of novel appearance, this being accomplished by utilizing the'central opening of the ordinary automobile tire as an exposure opening for displaying the desired advertising matter which is composed of a series of views adapted to be successively advanced past the exposure opening.

A still further object is to provide an advertising appliance of this nature wherein all the operating connections will be concealed within the tire.

Another object is the provision of a novel form of supporting member which,. in combination with the bead on the tire, supports the tire in a substantially upright position to fully expose the advertising medium on display.

A still further object is to provide a simple arrangement for operatively assembling an endless belt, the belt being used in the present instance as the carrier for the advertising matter.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described, and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the preferred present invention; t Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the structure of Fig. 1;

form of advertising appliance embodying the Fig. 8 is a front view of a bracket which may be used where the appliance is to be supported from a surface such as the side portions of a display window orthe like.

Aside from the standard or bracket on which the appliance is adapted tobe directly supported, said appliance may be generally described as consisting of an automobile tire; a series of views of advertising matter adapted to be displayed through the central opening of the tire; and means for illuminating the display.

The ordinary automobile tire is illustrated at H) and the advertising matter, which may take any desired form but which, in the present instance, is indicated as consisting of illustrations (only one is shown) of the product of the advertiser, is arranged on an endless belt ll. Said beltextends around an upper roller I2 suitably supported in a bracket l4 and adapted to be driven or rotated by a motor I3. Preferably one end o-f the roller I2 is journaled in the bracket, while the opposite end may be connected directly to the motor mounted on the bracket. At its lower extremity, the belt extends around a roller l5, said roller being supported solely by the belt. The weight of roller [5 is such that the belt will be driven by its frictional engagement with roller l2. Preferably, bracket I4 consists of two side arms connected at their upper extremities by a cross-member l6 whichserves as a spacer for the two side arms while the lower extremities of said arms are adjustably secured together by a clamping device such as shown in Fig. 4'. Said device may consist of a block I! mounted on one bracket arm and provided with a slot through which the second arm may be projected and locked by a clamping screw l8.'

Said bracket, together with both rollers'and the motor are all concealed within the tire, only the displayv matter on the belt being exposed through the central opening of the tire, as illustrated in Fig. 1 and, as will be apparent, opera tion of the motor will drive the upper roller and belt to present successive portions of the advertising matter at said exposure opening. By adjusting the overlap of the lower ends of bracket I2, the latter will be firmly positioned within the tire and, lower roller l5, being free to shift laterally or vertically will accommodate any ir regularities in the movement of the belt.

The tire may be supported in various ways. For instance, there is illustrated in Fig. 5 a stand or pedestal composed of standards l9 and'a cir cular portion 20 on which a plurality'of lugs 2| are formed. These lugs engage around the bead of the tire and securely retain the tire on the stand. If desired, the stand or ring portion thereof can be tilted somewhat so that the weight of the tire will aid in retaining it in place. Fig. 7 shows a support for the tire, this form of support being used where the appliance is suspended from a point above the appliance. In this form, the support embodies the ring 20 and lugs 2| but is provided with an extension 22 having means such as a hook 23 for attachment to the structure from which the appliance is to be suspended. In Fig. 8 the ring 20 is secured to the horizontal arm 24 of a bracket which also has a vertical portion 25 for attachment to the surface from which the display is to be supported. If desired, a pivotal connection may be provided between said arms 24, 25. i

It will be realized that the novel appearance of the present appliance will attract considerable attention. However, to increase the attractivenessof the device, illuminating means or a source of light are also provided, preferably in the form of circular lighting tube 26 extending around the circular portion 20 of the supporting stand orbracket. Preferably, a colored light is used and color may also be used in the make-up of the advertising. matter. Therefore, the three principal factors, light, color and motion, are all combined in the present appliance.

While it is desirable that the so-called floating roller l5 be capable of shifting its position to compensate for irregularities in belt ll, nevertheless it issometimes preferred to provide means for limiting such movement. For instance, where a new automobile tire is used, the surface of the belt is very apt to bediscolored if it rubs against the tire. Hence, to limit the lateral shifting of roller l5, guides may be provided in which the roller is loosely received. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, a cross-piece 21 secured to the bead of the tireby clips 28 is provided with guide members 3| formed by strips of metal bent into U- shape, the recess or slot in the U constituting a guide-way in which the roller is loosely received. Thecross piece 2'! can be steadied by one or more fingers 29 extending therefrom into the interior of the tire and curved to fit closely against the inner surface thereof.

These guide-ways formed by the members 311 permit vertical and axial shifting of the roller l5 and, to a limited extent, a lateral shifting without contacting the tire and becoming soiled by such contact.

Anendless belt is shown'for advancing the several portionsofadvertising-matter tothe point at whichthe advertising is displayed, but it is apparent that the broad concept of thepresent invention contemplates other arrangements and is not to be limited to-thisparticular form except asindicated in the appended claims. Also, the floating roller for the traveling belt, is not limited to the specific use. disclosed. in the drawings.

On-thewhole, the present appliance is quite simple and inexpensive but, nevertheless, it is. of noveldesign, and-as before indicated, the attractiveness of its novel appearance. is augmented by the combinedauseof the factors of -light,. ,color and motion;

What I claim is:

1.- Inan advertising appliance, an automobile tire, the central opening of said tire constituting anexposure. aperture, illuminating. means. encircling said opening, andanendless traveling series of advertising views movable past said opening.

2..In an advertising appliance, an automobile tire, the central opening of said tire constituting an exposure opening, a support for holding said tire in an upright position, means for advancing a series of advertising views past said opening and illuminating means on said support extending around said opening.

3. In an advertising appliance, an automobile tire, the central opening in said tire constituting an exposure opening, a series of advertising views, and means for advancing said views past said opening, said last mentioned means being concealed within said tire.

4. In an advertising appliance, an automobile tire, the central opening in said tire constituting an exposure opening, a plurality of views composed of advertising material, means for successively, presenting said views in said opening, and illuminating means positioned around said openin 5. In an advertising appliance, an automobile tire, the central opening therein forming an exposure opening, an endless traveling belt having on its surface a plurality of views each composed of advertising material, means for actuating said belt to successively present said views in said opening, said last means being concealed in said tire, and means for illuminating the surface of the belt exposed in said opening.

6.'In a. display apparatus, a driven roll, an endless belt extending. around said roll with the two reaches of the belt suspended from the roll, a second roll between said reaches of the belt at the lower extremity thereof, said belt being the sole support for said second roll and means for preventing lateral shifting motion of said second roll.

7. In a display apparatus, an automobile tire casing, the central opening of said casing constituting an exposure opening, a driven roll, an endless belt extending around said roll with the two reaches of the belt suspended from the roll, a second roll between said reaches of the belt at the lower extremity thereof, said belt being the sole support for said second roll, and guide members supported on said tire casing forlimiting lateral shifting motion of said second roll.

8. In a display apparatus, an automobile tire casing, the central opening of said casing constituting an exposure opening, a driven roll, an endless belt extending around said roll with the two reaches of the belt. suspended from the roll, a second roll between said reaches of the belt at the lower extremity thereof, said belt being the sole support for said second roll, a crosspieceattached to said casing adjacent the lower portion of the latter, and U-shaped guide mem- I bers secured to said cross-piece and extending into the interior of said casing, said second roller being loosely positioned in the recesses in said U- shaped members;

9. In an advertising display appliance, the combination of a housing for the advertising matter to be displayed, said housing having an opening therein constituting an exposure aperture, an endless traveling belt suspended in said-housing and having a series of advertising views thereon, means for actuating said belt to'move' said views successively into registry with said exposure aperture, a roller supported solely by said belt at the lower end of the latter, and means for preventing a lateral shifting motion of said roller.

CHARLES W. ARMSTRONG. 

